1977 Profile: Thurman Munson

1977 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Thurman was finally acknowledged as the outstanding catcher in the American League. In his second straight year with over 100 RBI and a plus-.300 batting average, he was voted the league's MVP. He had the highest World Series average ever (.529) for a player on a losing team, and also tied a 52-year-old record with six straight hits.
Born in Akron, Ohio, he still lives in the Buckeye state (Canton)."

-Phil Pepe, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1977 Edition

"One of the first things to happen to Thurman Munson in 1976 was his appointment as Yankee captain, the first since Lou Gehrig. All Munson did was respond by winning the Most Valuable Player award and leading the Yankees to the American League pennant.
It was only a matter of time before Thurman was named captain, as he is the unquestioned field general and the best man at calling a game in the league. His presence alone generates excitement among teammates and fans alike. He is also the offensive leader of the Yanks and has driven in over 100 runs two years in a row. Thurman did not stop once postseason play began and compiled the highest average ever for a player on the losing team in a World Series.
1970's Rookie of the Year (he is the only Yankee ever to win both that award and the MVP), Munson has a strong arm and a quick release. His biggest asset, however, is the grim determination with which he does his job. The latest in a long line of great Yankee catchers (Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, Elston Howard), Thurman has never failed to improve some facet of his game from year to year. 1977 should be no exception as Captain Munson leads the troops into battle."

-The New York Yankees Official 1977 Yearbook

"The Yankee captain, so appointed in 1976 as the first since Lou Gehrig, Thurman responded by winning the Most Valuable Player award. He became the first Yankee to both MVP and Rookie of the Year (1970).
He did it not only with his on-the-field leadership but with his second straight season of over 100 RBIs (he was second in the league) and his second straight .300 season (his fourth in seven years). He was the starting catcher in the All-Star Game, his fifth All-Star selection. He stole a career high of 14 bases and led the Yankees in game-winning hits with 17. He caught, served a DH and played the outfield while carrying on the Yankee catching tradition of Dickey-Berra-Howard-Munson.
Thurman continued to shine in postseason play. In the ALCS, he broke the previous record for total hits (but Chambliss passed Munson) and, in the World Series, he compiled the highest average ever for a player on the losing team, tying a record with six consecutive hits in the process, with four hits in one game.
Thurman was the league's number-three hitter in 1975, and number nine last year, but he never fell below .300 after the early part of the schedule. Thurman began last season with a broken right index finger, suffered in spring training, but was able to DH by Opening Day and caught his first game in the home opener.
He has won three Gold Glove awards (1973,1974,1975), and he also played first and third for the Yankees. In 1975 he was the first Yankee in 11 years to drive in 100 runs. His lifetime .289 batting average is 13th on the all-time Yankee list.
Thurman was an All-American catcher at Kent State and the Yankees' top draft pick in 1968, reaching the majors after only 99 minor league games. In 1971, he made only one error all season, tying Elston Howard's .998 catching record by a Yankee.
Durable and rugged, and a great all-around athlete, Thurman has a strong arm and a quick release, along with lightning fast reflexes."

-1977 New York Yankees Press/TV//Radio Guide

"Last year Munson was named the first Yankee team captain since Lou Gehrig. He responded by winning the American League Most Valuable Player award. Thurman was the first Yankee to win MVP and Rookie of the Year (1970).
This is his fifth season hitting better than .300, with a lifetime average of over .290. Thurman hit .435 in the ALCS last fall, then followed by batting .529 (9-for-17) against Cincinnati in the World Series. He reached the majors after only 99 minor league games and has won three Gold Glove fielding awards.
This is Thurman's sixth All-Star selection."

-1977 All-Star Game Official Program